The present invention relates to process support in a computing environment and more specifically, to processes, machines, and manufactures involving use and/or maintenance of containers to support running processes where the containers are built or adapted for the running processes they support.
Virtual machines (“VMs”) emulate an operating system (OS) running on hardware. For example an open standard operating system may have several virtual machines running on it where each of the VMs emulate a proprietary OS on which limited compatibility programs can run and function. Virtual machines have relatively long start up times and tear down times and involve linking to an underlying hypervisor. These hypervisors act to host the VM and translate back and forth to the underlying actual OS running directly on the hardware of the system supporting the VM.
Embodiments provide for improvement over VMs through the use of adaptable containers that can be built and torn down more efficiently than VMs, may support various processes, and may be maintained without the presence of an active process. Still other features and aspects are provided below and taught by this disclosure.